Cherry tree named ‘Kara King’

ABSTRACT

A new cherry tree named ‘Kara King’ distinguished primarily by its wide harvest window. Early fruit is yellow and light red, suitable for market as ‘Rainier’-type cherry, while late-season fruit is dark red, suitable for market as a ‘Bing’-type cherry. ‘Kara King’ is further distinguished by its large fruit size and high sugar content.

Genus and species: Prunus avium.

Variety denomination: ‘Kara King’.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

‘Kara King’ is a new sweet cherry tree discovered in 2004 in a ‘Bing’(not patented) cherry orchard near East Wenatchee, Wash. ‘Kara King’originated as a chance seedling of unknown parentage; ‘Bing’ and‘Rainier’ (not patented) cherry trees planted nearby are possibleparents. In 2005, scionwood cuttings of the seedling were budded on‘Mazzard’ rootstock (not patented) near Quincy, Wash., to produce testtrees for further observation. The test trees were planted in 2007 nearMattawa, Wash. The ‘Kara King’ cherry tree has been found to exhibit itsdistinctive characteristics through successive asexually propagatedgenerations.

‘Kara King’ is distinguished primarily by its wide harvest window. Earlyfruit is yellow and light red, suitable for market as ‘Rainier’-typecherry, while late-season fruit is dark red, suitable for market as a‘Bing’-type cherry. ‘Kara King’ is further distinguished by its largefruit size and high sugar content.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

FIG. 1 shows the fruit of the variety;

FIG. 2 shows the fruit, leaves, and branches of the variety;

FIG. 3 shows the early yellow and light red fruit of the variety;

FIG. 4 shows the leaves of the variety;

FIG. 5 shows a tree of the variety; and

FIG. 6 shows a limb and blossoms of the variety.

The photographs in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5 were taken during June of 2018,and the photograph in FIG. 6 was taken on Apr. 18, 2018. The photographin FIG. 3 was taken in June 2014. All photos are of trees planted in2007 near Mattawa, Wash. The colors of the photographs may vary withlighting conditions. Color characteristics of the new variety shouldtherefore be determined with reference to the observations describedherein, rather than from the photographs alone.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following detailed botanical description is based on observations ofsecond-generation trees of the variety, planted in 2007 and grown on‘Mazzard’ rootstock (not patented) on a V-trellis system. Observationswere recorded during the 2018 growing season near Mattawa, Wash. Thecharacteristics described will vary somewhat depending upon culturalpractices and climatic conditions, and can vary with location andseason. Quantified measurements are expressed as an average ofmeasurements taken from a number of individual plants of the newvariety. The measurements of any individual plant, or any group ofplants, of the new variety may vary from the stated average. Tree andbranch colors are described with reference to The R.H.S. Colour Chart(Royal Horticultural Society, 6th edition 2015); all other colors aredescribed with reference to the Munsell Book of Color.

-   Tree:    -   -   Vigor.—Vigorous.        -   Habit, shape.—Upright, spreading.        -   Density.—Dense.        -   Height.—4 m (trained on V-trellis).        -   Spread.—3 m (trained on V-trellis).        -   Trunk diameter.—14 cm at 30 cm above the ground.        -   Bark texture.—Smooth to medium.        -   Bark color.—Greyed-green 197D.        -   Lenticel size.—Length 5 mm to 10 mm, height 2 mm.        -   Lenticel color.—Greyed-orange 166A.-   Branch (fruiting branches located at around 1 m above the graft    union):    -   -   Diameter.—2 cm to 3 cm.        -   Length.—90 cm.        -   Crotch angle.—90° (trained on V-trellis).        -   Bark color.—Greyed-green 197D and greyed-orange 176B.        -   Bark texture.—Smooth.        -   Lenticel.—Length 1 mm to 2 mm; height 1 mm.        -   Lenticel color.—Greyed-orange 166A.        -   Lenticel quantity.—Scattered, averaging 1 per cm².-   One year old shoot:    -   -   Length.—19 cm.        -   Color.—7.5 GY 6/4 (greenish tan).        -   Pubescence.—Glabrous.        -   Diameter.—4 mm.        -   Internode length.—4 cm.        -   Lenticel size.—Length 1 mm to 2 mm, height 0.5 mm.        -   Lenticel color.—7.5Y 3/4 (dark brown).        -   Lenticel quantity.—1 per cm².-   Flower buds:    -   -   Quantity per spur.—3 to 15.        -   Shape.—Elongate, conic.        -   Length.—10 mm to 12 mm.-   Diameter.—4 mm to 5 mm.    -   -   Color.—2.5 GY 6/8 (light green) two days prior to bloom.-   Flowers:    -   -   Diameter of fully open flower.—30 mm.        -   Depth of fully open flower.—12 mm (not including pedicel).        -   Relative position of petal margin.—Slightly overlapping            until fully open.        -   Pedicel length.—15 mm to 20 mm.        -   Pedicel diameter.—1.5 mm.        -   Pedicel color.—5 GY 5/10 (medium green).        -   Number of flowers per cluster.—2 to 3, occasionally 4.        -   Date of first bloom.—April 14 (2018).        -   Date of full bloom.—April 18 (2018).-   Petals:    -   -   Number per flower.—5.        -   Length.—12 mm to 15 mm.        -   Width.—10 mm to 14 mm.        -   Petal shape.—Round obovate.        -   Apex.—Wavy, irregular; occasionally notched.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Smooth with some notching.        -   Color of upper surface.—White NN155D.        -   Color of lower surface.—White.-   Pistil:    -   -   Length.—10 mm.        -   Diameter.—1 mm.        -   Color.—2.5 GY 9/2 (extremely pale green; almost white).-   Stigma:    -   -   Length.—1.5 mm.        -   Color.—5 Y 8/4 (light yellowish brown).        -   Position.—Below anthers.-   Style:    -   -   Length.—9 mm to 12 mm.        -   Color.—2.5 GY 8/4 (pale green).-   Ovary:    -   -   Length.—4 mm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm.        -   Color.—2.5 GY 6/6 (light green).-   Stamens:    -   -   Quantity.—25 to 30 per flower.        -   Anther length.—0.5 to 1 mm.        -   Anther color.—5Y 6/6 (yellow/brown).        -   Filament size.—Length 8 mm to 10 mm; diameter 0.5 mm.        -   Presence of pollen.—Abundant.        -   Color of pollen.—7.5 Y 7/10 (yellow).-   Sepals:    -   -   Quantity.—5.        -   Color.—2.5 GY 7/6 (light green) (both surfaces).        -   Shape.—Obtuse to acute.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Broad.        -   Margin.—Smooth.        -   Length.—7 mm.        -   Width.—5 mm.-   Leaves:    -   -   Length.—18 cm.        -   Width.—7 cm.        -   Blade margin.—Coarsely serrate.        -   Leaf shape.—Oblong lanceolate.        -   Apex shape.—Acuminate.        -   Base shape.—Oblate to tapering.        -   Texture.—Upper surface smooth, glabrous; underside dull with            prominent veins.        -   Attitude in relation to shoot.—30 degrees to 60 degrees,            with 60 degrees more prevalent.        -   Color of upper surface.—2.5 GY 5/4 (medium dark green).        -   Color of lower surface.—5 GY 6/8 (light-medium green).-   Petiole:    -   -   Length.—3.5 cm to 5 cm.        -   Diameter.—2 mm to 3 mm.        -   Color.—2.5 GY 6/8 (light green).        -   Glands.—Oblong; length 3 mm, width 1 mm; Colored 10Y 7/6            (greenish tan).-   Fruit:    -   -   Quantity per cluster.—2 to 3.        -   Diameter.—32 mm.        -   Length.—25 mm.        -   Weight.—1.1 g per fruit.        -   General shape in profile.—Reniform.        -   Shape of stem end.—Round cordate.        -   Shape of pistil end.—Round to flat.        -   Depth of stalk cavity.—2 mm.        -   Diameter of stalk cavity.—6 mm.        -   Depth of suture.—2 mm.        -   Skin thickness.—Thin to medium.        -   Skin texture.—Medium-smooth.        -   Ground color.—Ranges from yellow 5 Y 9/4 (June 10, see            FIGS. 3) to 2.5 R 2/6 (deep purple red) to 5 R 2/4 (dark            purple red) (June 21, see FIGS. 1 and 2).        -   Overcolor.—Light red (June 10, see FIG. 3) to not            perceptible (June 21, see FIGS. 1 and 2); extremely glossy            finish.        -   Tendency to crack.—None during dry weather; similar to            ‘Bing’ in wet weather.-   Stalk:    -   -   Length.—39 mm.        -   Diameter.—1.6 mm.        -   Color.—5 GY 5/6 (medium green).-   Flesh:    -   -   Flesh texture.—Tender.        -   Firmness.—Very firm; typically 350 g/mm or higher.        -   Fibers.—Few small fibers.        -   Aroma.—Very slight.        -   Flavor.—Mildly flavored, well balanced; sweeter than ‘Bing’            but otherwise similar.        -   Juiciness.—Medium to juicy.        -   Soluble solids.—Early fruit 17 to 21° Brix; later fruit 21            to 23° Brix or more.        -   Flesh color.—10 RP 3/3 to 10 RP 3/6 (dark red purple).        -   Juice color.—10 RP 4/4 (dark purple pink).-   Stone:    -   -   Length.—12 mm to 13 mm.        -   Diameter.—10 mm.        -   Shape.—Round.        -   Color.—5 Y 6/6 (medium yellow).        -   Surface texture.—Smooth.        -   Adherence of flesh to stone.—Semi-free.        -   Tendency to split.—None observed.-   Harvest:    -   -   Harvest date.—June 5 to June 21 (2018).        -   Number of picks.—1.        -   Harvest yield.—22 kg to 27 kg.        -   Bearing.—Annual.        -   Chilling requirement.—Similar to ‘Bing’.        -   Cold hardiness.—Hardy in area tested (North Central            Washington, USDA Zone 5).        -   Disease resistance/susceptibility.—None noted; similar to            ‘Bing’.        -   Market use.—Fresh.        -   Keeping quality.—Good.        -   Shipping quality.—Good.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cherry tree, substantially as illustratedand described herein.